Most packet capture tools require the user to manually configure what channel or channels to capture on. Tonic handles capturing significantly differently through Automatic Adapter Management, where the adapter capture channels are automatically changed based on what is being viewed. To change channels, simple navigate to different views, and Tonic will change adapter channels as needed.
Note: This section is technical in nature. Understanding it is not important for operation of MetaGeek Tonic.
Adapter Roles
Tonic can address up to three packet capture adapters:
- Primary Adapter
- Secondary Adapter
- Tertiary Adapters
The status and current channel of each packet capture adapter is displayed in the Status Pane. Hover the mouse over the capture adapter to see details about it.
Capture Modes
- Sweep - Moves the adapter through the set of channels, usually in a cyclical fashion. The adapter dwells on the channel for 150-300 milliseconds, depending on the current view.
- Capture - The adapter stays tuned to the Current Channel, unless an event causes the adapter to be moved elsewhere.
Channels Sets
Tonic uses Channel Sets to define what the packet capture adapter will sweep or continuously capture on. Some channel sets are variable.
- Current Channel - The channel that the Current Object (see below) is on.
- Non-Current Channels - Channels that the Current Object (see below) is not on.
- All Channels - Sweeps all channels in the 2.4 and 5 GHz bands.
- ESSID Channels - Sweep all channels occupied by the current ESSID.
- non-ESSID Channels - Sweep all channels that are not occupied by the current ESSID.
- All 2.4 Channels - Sweep channels 1-14 (14 channels)
- All 5 GHz Channels - Sweep channels 36-165 (25 channels)
- Lower 5 GHz Channels - Sweep channels 36-116 (15 channels)
- Upper 5 GHz Channels - Sweep channel 120-165 (12 channels)
Current Object
In Tonic, a Current Object can be:
- An ESSID, which can occupy many channels
- A BSSID, which can only occupy one channel
- A Client, which can only occupy one channel
- A channel
The Current Object changes depending on the view that is selected in Tonic. If the Current Object is an object type that only occupies one channel (such as a BSSID, client, or a channel itself), then that single channel is defined as the Current Channel.
Single Packet Capture Adapter
Using a single packet capture adapter in Tonic provides basic capture functionality, but requires the adapter to occasionally go off-channel to detect the presence of new BSSID's, and to detect Unobserved Client Roam events.
| View | Primary Adapter |
| Channels View |
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| Clients View |
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| Channels View |
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| ESSID View |
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| BSSID View |
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| Client View |
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Two Packet Capture Adapters
Using two packet capture adapters in Tonic is ideal, as it allows the primary to focus on capturing the Current Object, while the secondary adapter is free to monitor for new BSSID's and Unobserved Client Roam events on other channels. It also splits the workload between 2.4 and 5 GHz in many places, which drastically increases the speed at which channels (and their child objects) are updated.
| View | Primary Adapter | Secondary Adapter |
| Channels View |
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| Clients View |
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| ESSID View |
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| BSSID View |
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| Client View |
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Three Packet Capture Adapters
Using three packet capture adapters is supported in Tonic, and further increases the speed at which channels are updated.
| View | Primary | Secondary | Tertiary |
| Channels View |
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| Clients View |
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| Channels View |
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| ESSID View |
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| BSSID View |
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| Client View |
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